# Kaywoodie Stingers



## phineasrex (Jul 12, 2010)

I have a few Kaywoodies with the drinkless attachment. If anyone else has any, I am wondering what your thoughts are on the "stinger." Does it stay or does it go, feel free to put on The Clash at this point. I've heard some people say removing them depreciates their value, which I can understand. When I was out smoking today, I started think that maybe I don't real care about the collectible nature of these pipes. To me, their value lies in their smokability. Thoughts anyone?


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## bandlwalmer (Jun 25, 2010)

I have one and enjoy it with the stinger, but I am new to pipes and don't have much to compare it to. I am interested in everyones responses as well.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

If you don't care about resale value I'd imagine the draw would improve dramatically if you removed the stinger.

Marty Pulver has a White Briar Kaywoodie without the stinger for $35 at the moment, if you want to try one without before removing the ones on your pipes.


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## Nachman (Oct 16, 2010)

I once had a Kaywoodie that I removed the stinger from. It was never a particularly good smoker but IMHO it was even worse after I removed the stinger. It did open up the draw. Too much in fact. After the stinger was gone you could fold a thick pipe cleaner in half and insert the doubled cleaner in the tenon end of the stem. Fine tobacco bits were constantly getting in my mouth.


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## Commander Quan (May 6, 2003)

I have one Kaywoodie, and the stinger in it is different than the ball type in most of the others, and as a mater of fact I have never smoked that pipe. 

All the other pipes I have that came with stingers have not been the screw together stems like the kaywoodies, so I pull them out and they smoke 100x better than with them in. The draw is much improved and they don't smoke as wet as with the stinger.


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## CWL (Mar 25, 2010)

I have several pipes with stingers, some which can be pulled out and some which can't. I hate them all as they impede draw, still seem to collect water and are impossible to run cleaners through. I'll pass on them.


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## phineasrex (Jul 12, 2010)

Yeah, I'm thinking a little surgery is in order. I have removed several pull out stingers, and I cut one off an LHS Certified Purex last week to great success, so I think the time has come for these Kaywoodies. Thanks for all the responses and opinions so far.


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## GuitarDan (Nov 26, 2009)

I love my Kaywoodies; all but one with stingers intact... which I still regret doing.


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## ChronoB (Nov 4, 2007)

phineasrex said:


> I have a few Kaywoodies with the drinkless attachment. If anyone else has any, I am wondering what your thoughts are on the "stinger." Does it stay or does it go, feel free to put on The Clash at this point. I've heard some people say removing them depreciates their value, which I can understand. When I was out smoking today, I started think that maybe I don't real care about the collectible nature of these pipes. To me, their value lies in their smokability. Thoughts anyone?


I have three Kaywoodies. Two from the 1930s with the older 4-hole stinger and one from the 60s with the 3-hole stinger. All three smoke nicely, despite (or perhaps because of) the somewhat stunted draw created by the design. My only gripe is that moisture does accumulate on the stingers as you smoke (just like it is supposed to) and requires wiping with a pipe cleaner for optimal airflow from time to time; but since you can remove them while smoking I liken it to simply using a pipe cleaner while smoking on a regular pipe.

If you like the way they smoke with the stingers there you should leave them. If they smoke poorly to mediocre and you think that cutting it down to the threaded portion will improve them, then feel free.

The way I see it, the pipes were designed that way almost from Kaywoodie's earliest days, so they should probably remain the way they designed it. Cutting off the metal fitment is akin to filling the moisture well in a Peterson system pipe, in my opinion. Regardless, if you're enjoying them, best not to tinker with them.

Concerning value, I think the stinger removal impacts pre-WWII Kaywoodies far more than post. If your pipes have the 4-hole balls on the end of the fitment and you alter the stinger it will affect collectability.


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## strongirish (Dec 11, 2008)

I agre3e to the above answers. If you don't like them with the stinger, cut them off leaving the screw in grooves. As far as resale on them, they are inexpensive pipes to start with and there are so many out there, they will never have a high value so what the heck.


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## ChronoB (Nov 4, 2007)

strongirish said:


> As far as resale on them, they are inexpensive pipes to start with and there are so many out there, they will never have a high value so what the heck.


I have to disagree with that. I see pre-WWII Kaywoodies of various kinds go for well over $100 on ebay all the time, and I suspect their value will only continue to go up as people realize just how good those pipes are. We tend to think of Kaywoodies as inexpense, everyman type of pipes now, but prior to WWII, and through the 50s they were the class of the world. Kaywoodie made pipes in all price ranges, not just cheap ones.

This goes for any pipe: if you're worried about the future value of your pipes don't tinker with them unnecessarily, and keep then in good condition. Otherwise, do whatever you wish.


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## phineasrex (Jul 12, 2010)

ChronoB said:


> I have three Kaywoodies. My only gripe is that moisture does accumulate on the stingers as you smoke (just like it is supposed to) and requires wiping with a pipe cleaner for optimal airflow from time to time; but since you can remove them while smoking I liken it to simply using a pipe cleaner while smoking on a regular pipe.


This was pretty much the reason I wanted to remove the stinger, so much gurgling. Seems as though my problem has been solved. I didn't realize it was safe to remove the stem on these pipes during smoking. For some reason I just lumped them in with every other pipe, minus army bits. Looks like my stingers will stay safe for the time being, especially my Kaywoodie with a 4 hole stinger, but I wasn't going to remove that one anyway. Thanks for the help everyone, as always, it was illuminating.


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## strongirish (Dec 11, 2008)

Well as a seller of old estates, I have never gotton anything close to $100.00 for a Kaywoodie, in perfect condition and from the 30's. So I can only go by my experience. 

Anybody want to buy a 4 hole Kaywoodie for $100.00 I have 40 of them, I will take offers.


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## ChronoB (Nov 4, 2007)

strongirish said:


> Well as a seller of old estates, I have never gotton anything close to $100.00 for a Kaywoodie, in perfect condition and from the 30's. So I can only go by my experience.
> 
> Anybody want to buy a 4 hole Kaywoodie for $100.00 I have 40 of them, I will take offers.


If you have a Super Grain with the logo on the shank, with the stinger intact, and in good condition I just might buy it.

FYI, I sold a Kaywoodie Thorn from the 1930s (in very good shape) for $80 on ebay last year. Might want to give them another shot.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

Well, I've seen older Kaywoodies go for $100 on smokingpipes.com. Perhaps they put them up for that price, then pretend they sell, in some sort of vast conspiracy to misinform us ignorant pipe smokers. I've seen them go for that on Ebay as well.


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## ChronoB (Nov 4, 2007)

indigosmoke said:


> Well, I've seen older Kaywoodies go for $100 on smokingpipes.com. Perhaps they put them up for that price, then pretend they sell, in some sort of vast conspiracy to misinform us ignorant pipe smokers.QUOTE]
> 
> :lol:


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